Pope County Sheriff’s (PCSO) deputies and Russellville police (RPD) undercover drug agents responded Tuesday to help the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) arrest a man who received a 12-pound package of marijuana.

District Judge Don Bourne set bail at $20,000 for Ford Sprague, 63, on Wednesday during felony bond hearings at the Pope County Detention Center.

Sprague is being held for possession of a controlled substance with the purpose to deliver.

He is required to appear in Pope County Circuit Court on Aug. 5.

A Pope County deputy assigned to the Fifth Judicial District Drug Task Force (DTF) testified DEA investigators from Fort Smith contacted the DTF office Tuesday about a package delivery scheduled for drop-off at a Dover address.

In cooperation with the DEA, DTF investigators from PCSO and RPD arranged a controlled delivery of the package by a delivery company.

The contents of the package was suspected to be marijuana with a street value of more than $9,000.

As part of the investigation, U.S. agents told local law enforcement they found Sprague had allegedly received similar packages prior to Tuesday’s controlled delivery which were sent to the same address.

Police staked out the woods near the area of the drop-off point to watch the delivery take place, according to testimony.

Investigators saw the parcel being delivered, and immediately afterwards, heard a vehicle’s engine in the area of the home where the package was left.

Police saw Sprague’s truck back up to the spot of the delivery and watched him put the package in the bed of his truck.

Police noted he waited across the street from the residence where the package was delivered.